Pillars of
Operational
Excellence
By Rob Smith and Ratko Vojvodic,
AREVA Inc.
Rob Smith
Robert (Rob) Smith is Vice President
for the Non Destructive Examination
(NDE) Solutions
business unit within
the Reactors and
Services Business
Group at AREVA
Inc.
Rob oversees
and manages the
organizations
responsible for
all aspects of the
Steam Generator,
Industrial Systems
and NDE Services
in North America.
Rob holds a
Bachelor of Science
degree in Welding
Engineering from
The Ohio State University and a
Masters of Business Administration in
International Business from Liberty
University. He is an active member
of the American Nuclear Society and
a graduate of the AREVA leadership
center.
An interview by Newal Agnihotri, Editor
of Nuclear Plant Journal, at the NRC’s
Regulatory Information Conference in
Bethesda, Maryland on March 8, 2016.
1.
What new inspection technologies
have been introduced by AREVA recently?
Rob Smith:
AREVA performs
nondestructive examination (NDE) of
components and systems in nuclear power
plants applying ultrasonics, eddy current,
radiography and surface examination
techniques. We also provide a broad
range of chemistry services, particularly
in the steam generator domain.
Phased array ultrasonics have
become the predominant technique
for the volumetric examination of the
components, where one transducer directs
sound into a component through infinite
numbers of angles, electronically steering
the sound beam as the component is
inspected.
Another
in-
spection of crucial
importance for the
plant’s safe and re-
liable operation is
the examination of
steam generator tub-
ing. Our goal is to
safely,
efficiently
and cost effectively
inspect steam gen-
erators.
Automated ac-
quisition of the data
using several ro-
bots simultaneously
that follow prede-
termined
inspec-
tion plans moving
inspection probes from tube to tube, au-
tomated real time data analysis and data
management assure complete and accu-
rate evaluation of the steam generator tub-
ing conditions.
Dual data analysis by two teams or
two systems is the industry requirement.
It assures the highest level of detection
performance and provides information
needed to safely and efficiently continue
operation of the steam generators. Dual
analysis can consist of two manual
analyses, two automated analyses or a
combination of manual and automated
analysis. The choice depends on the steam
generator tubing material, tube conditions
and particular plant requirements. Dual
automated analysis has become more and
more common in recent years.
Ratko Vojvodic:
We are deploying
dual
automated
analysis
more
frequently while fully meeting industry
requirements and providing the utility
with more valuable information. That
information helps in determining and fine
tuning the steam generator operating and
examination strategy. Dual automated
analysis is not a new concept. It has been
in use for more than a decade. What
is new is the increase in the amount
of information provided, reduction in
the analysis time and the spread of its
utilization to more utilities and power
plants.
Smith:
The industry requirements
call for the use of independent data
analysis teams or systems. As a result,
we’ve developed and qualified three
systems based on our AIDA
3
data
analysis platform. Depending on the
actual steam generator conditions,
reduction of the data analysis crew size
already achieved is between 30 and 60
percent while keeping the same level of
accuracy or actually increasing it in most
cases. Savings in this area will contribute
to the overall savings targeted by utilities
to reach 30 percent by 2018.
2.
Describe the dose savings with new
technology.
Smith:
From a holistic perspective,
AIDA
3
, our analysis software, is just one
piece. From a dose perspective, we’ve
been looking at the entire process. Over
the past 10 to 20 years, we’ve managed
the cycle by running two probes by one
robot at one time in a steam generator.
For the case of a steam generator with
approximately 5,000 tubes, by using
three probes with a triple guide tube and
longer life probes, we can inspect one
generator with one set of probes, thus
reducing the dose by eliminating the need
for the probe changes.
Our vision is to go in the reactor
building, set up our equipment and
probes, and return once the inspection is
done. By not having anyone in the reactor
building during the inspection, we’re
minimizing dose and issues with safety,
and we’re moving toward achieving this
vision.
24
NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, March-April 2016
